Planning a Seamless Transition

There is a project afoot, and both SWMBO and I have been invited to participate.  The Planner and Planette have been hatching a plot and it has grown from ideas to action with tangible results.  There’s quite a way to go yet, before it’s all realised, and being detailed people, the transition between phases has been seamless.  When people make something difficult look easy, there’s clearly a lot of thought and skill behind it all.

In one of these sessions to plan for a seamless transition, The Planner and Planette had us around for dinner.  And lovely it was too.  The introduction was a 2006 Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett.  With a half-dozen years under its belt, it showed the expected secondary interest, with definite toast and kero aromas and flavours.  But this was remarkable for its acidity and zestiness.  Sure there’s the creamy richness and textures, but Mosel acidity wins out here.  It’s searingly seamless, and the palate flows with raciness and liveliness.  The mouthfeel extremely fresh, and it will always be the case as it makes a further transition to the even darker and more complex side.  I could tell SWMBO and The Planner liked this.  And The Planette too.  A joy for all of us.

I haven’t tried the white burgundies from Paul Pillot before, but on this evening, I‘ll be pretty happy to see one opened anytime.  The 2009 Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er ‘Les Grandes Ruchottes’ showed its Chassagne size and richness.  Note quite the fine floral linearity of a Puligny, this was softer, rounder, more approachable and a crowd pleaser.  All the white stonefruits and integrated nuttiness you could want, with that hint of sweetness, breadth and ripeness that lets you understand why 2009 is a year for New World palates.  Subtle ‘Riesling complexities’ meaning reductive hints are there, but perfectly judged for me.  A seamless and complete beauty.

Then a 2004 Ch. Duhart-Milon Pauillacc  From the Lafite stable, one could expect it to perform above its fourth growth status.  It’s not as fine as Lafite is for sure, with a certain robustness showing.  This had real depth and concentration, but a strong case of the herbal streak and animal-like brettanomyces.  Packed to overflowing with ripe blackcurrant flavours, the brett is a significant showing here.  I can see a consumer lovin’ it as it is deep and full of flavours .  And there’s structure too.  Many 2004s show thinness with the green, but not this.  There’s pros and cons here.  On one side the size, fruit sweetness and depth.  On the other greens and animals.  The sides change seamlessly from one to the other while drinking it, except for SWMBO, who saw the animal.